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Jetpod crashes on test flight, killing pilot

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Jetpod crashes on test flight, killing pilot

By RASLAN BAHAROM

 

TAIPING: Newly-assembled aircraft Jetpod, by British-based Avcen, crash landed during a test flight from Tekah airstrip near here, killing pilot Michael Robert Dacre, 53, who is also the managing director of the Avcen.

 

The crash happened at 12.30pm Sunday. The Jetpod is owned by AVCEN’s Malaysian subsidiary.

 

According to Wikipedia Jetpod is a design proposal for a very quiet aircraft that can take off and land in short distances (STOL), developed by Avcen Limited, a company formed in 1998 to promote development of the Jetpod.

 

It aimed to Jetpod in the skies by 2010.

 

A number of applications have been proposed, including as a military transport, an executive transport, and as a short to medium-range air taxi.

 

According to Avcen's publicity materials, the Jetpod's maximum speed is 550 km/h (350 mph, 300 knots).

 

It would needs only 125 meters (135 yards) to take-off or land, allowing runways to be constructed close to the center of major cities, and would be sufficiently quiet to not be noticeable above city traffic.

 

The trip from Heathrow Airport to central London would take about 4 minutes and cost about $100.

 

:(

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I'm shocked! I've been seeing the aircraft being assembled at a large tent over the past week at Taiping airstrip and was so excited about the test flight. Even got a spy shot before I was chased away by the official photographer who zealously pointed to a small, obscure 'no pictures' sign.

 

Just my luck I'm in Kuching this weekend for my convocation and didn't get the opportunity to catch the test flight - and subsequent crash. Didn't expect this to happen at all though. Condolences to the test pilot. Always awful when someone dies like that. :(

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Even got a spy shot before I was chased away by the official photographer who zealously pointed to a small, obscure 'no pictures' sign.

 

 

Mind sharing? Quality is not a problem with a spy shot.

 

Anyway what is a Jetpod?

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Why conduct test flight in Taiping? To label as a ‘Malaysia Boleh’ project to secure grant from the gomen? Avcen couldn’t obtain approval from British CAA? The MD was the test pilot, Avcen was a one man company?

Edited by KK Lee

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Thanks for the spyshot, W Goh :drinks: The aircraft's design looks dodgy..

 

Good aerial shot, Radzi :good: I can see my kampung in that photo :yahoo:

Sometimes i could see PDRM Pilatus PC-6 Porters using the airfield for training.

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Too bad.. he brought the whole project down with him?? RIP

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From Times Online

August 16, 2009

 

British aviation pioneer dies after prototype crashes in Malaysia

Adam Fresco

 

malaysia_crash_601825a.jpg

(AP)

Malaysian firefighters inspect the United Kingdom-based AVCEN aircraft Jetpod which crash-landed during a test flight in Taiping

The Jetpod after crashing in Taiping, Malaysia

 

 

A British pilot hailed as “an aviation entrepreneur” was killed when his prototype plane crashed during take-off on a test flight in Malaysia today.

 

Michael Robert Dacre, 53, was flying a Jetpod aircraft, developed his own UK-based company AVCEN, when the crash happened an airstrip in Taiping, Malaysian.

 

The plane, which was being tried out at Tekah airstrip near the northern town, is being developed to take off and land in short distances and cruise at low levels at 500km-per-hour.

 

It would need only 125 meters to take-off or land, allowing runways to be constructed close to the centre of major cities, and would be quiet enough to not be noticeable above city traffic.

 

Mr Dacre had managed to reach a height of 200 metres, but the aircraft then plummeted to the ground and burst into flames, said Mohd Sobri Abdullah, a Taiping Fire and Rescue senior operations officer.

 

One idea for the aircraft was for commuters to use them as flying taxis, taking them to work instead of waiting for a street cab.

 

Avcen say Jetpods would enable quick, quiet and cheap travel to and from major cities and would be able to travel the 24 miles from Woking, Surrey, to central London in just four minutes.

 

And because it could make so many trips, fares for a journey from Heathrow to central London could cost about £40 or £50.

 

In an interview a few years ago Mr Dacre said: "We see it as very much as a ‘park and fly’ concept. You drive to a pick-up site, get on the aircraft, and off you go.

 

"But people shouldn’t think that these things are going to be whizzing around crashing into each other. They’ll be following set routes.

 

"Jetpods are meant to be a workhorse, a taxi cab in the air, for on-demand free-roaming traffic.

 

"We know that cities like Moscow, Tokyo and New York are crying out for something like this, and there's nothing remotely like it around at the moment.”

 

Professor Jeff Jupp, who worked as an aerospace consultant on Mr Dacre’s project in the UK, said the Mr Dacre was an ex-pilot who had lots of experience with flying.

 

“He was a typical aviation entrepreneur. He was very keen on his project, he saw a market for it.

 

“He was very prepared to take on expert opinion, not dogmatic at all, and he was very enthusiastic, driving the project on personally.

 

“I thought his idea was very interesting, with some novel features such as the aerodynamic changes to make the aircraft better for take off and landing. It could have been a useful addition to the aviation scene.”

 

Mohd Sobri Abdullah, Taiping Fire and Rescue senior operations officer, told Malaysian news agency Bernama that fire and rescue personnel had been stationed at the airstrip at the request of the company before the crash.

 

The incident was witnessed by many residents, including retired soldier, Halim Hamid, 50, who lives in nearby Taman Saujana Jaya.

 

He told local reporters that he was about 50 metres from where the jet had crashed.

 

“Earlier, I saw it going down the runaway three times but it could not take off. However, on the fourth run, the jet took off into the air but at about 200 metres high, it shot vertically to the sky before veering to its left and then falling to the ground.

 

There was a loud explosion when it crashed but firemen who were at the scene managed to put out the blaze, he said.

 

He added that the jet had been transported in parts in a container to the airstrip about a week ago before it was assembled.

 

The Department of Civil Aviation is investigating the cause of the crash.

 

Syed Abdul Wahab Syed Majid, the deputy police chief in northern Taiping town, said that firefighters recovered Mr Dacre’s body from the wreckage of the plane.

 

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6798198.ece

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Interesting that:

 

1. Most of us knew nothing about this project,

2. (The Late) Mr Dacre choses Malaysia as testing ground. And furthermore, choses Tekah airstrip.

 

I hope someone would pick up and continue Dacre's dream. Rest in Peace, Great Pioneer.

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Normally, ground tests take weeks if not months. Why the rush to get airborne? To join National day fly pass or project run out of cash?

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I'm just curious...

 

Does it have a Permit to Fly or CofA granted by DCA before the flight?

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RIP.

 

However, this kind of aircraft does not seem to be environmentally friendly. So I am not sure if this is something we should have!

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Normally, ground tests take weeks if not months. Why the rush to get airborne? To join National day fly pass or project run out of cash?

 

I agree. The timing just seems so rushed. Assembled in a week and flown on that weekend? And with the company secrecy surrounding the project I guess we'll never really know if enough ground tests were ever conducted somewhere else before this will we?

 

A side question though: is there any way to know the registration of the aircraft? It would need a rego even though it's a prototype right?

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Yes, it would need a test rego.

 

All the Airbus planes that come out of Toulouse carry a test rego (F-WWxx) and are usually replaced by the definitive rego when they are delivered.

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*sniff* *sniff* hmmm... fishy... <_>

 

It has happened before - some Malaysian entity 'buying into' some foreign 'new technology' as part of 'intellectual property procurement for the nation'. I guess Patimas got pregnant with a similar deal.

 

I remember in the mid-90s (those heydays when anything went), I was a senior bloke in a GLC, and I got summoned to the PM's dept (jaman Mahathir) to listen to some strangers from Russia, from UK, from South Africa, etc, trying to hawk some 'wonderful technologies'. Normally the local promoters were good buddies of the old man lah, that's why could use his office. :nea:

Edited by Naim

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Why conduct test flight in Taiping? To label as a ‘Malaysia Boleh’ project to secure grant from the gomen? Avcen couldn’t obtain approval from British CAA? The MD was the test pilot, Avcen was a one man company?

 

1st, Avcen choose to have the design firm in Malaysia is because of the strategic location,significant labor cost and manufacturing cost in Malaysia. They conducted the test flight in Taiping is because it is the most suitable place to do the test flight if compare to other airfield in Malaysia. Imagine if they do the test flight in Sg.Besi airport and crash into ground. What will happen to the residents?

 

2nd, this Jetpod is created here in Malaysia with the help of many consultants from oversea and Aerospace Engineers from local Universities. It is nothing to do with the so called "Malaysia Boleh" or want to secure the grant from govt. By the way, the project is funded by investors from oversea and UK govt. It did create many job opportunities for local graduates and industries. Avcen also sponsored and cooperate with UNITEN in the development of biofuel.

 

http://www.uniten.edu.my/newhome/content_list.asp?ContentID=3586

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=344886

 

For your information, "Mr Dacre was a former pilot who had plenty of flying experience. He was a typical aviation entrepreneur. He was very keen on his project. He saw a market for it,” Professor Jupp said. “He was very prepared to take on expert opinion, not dogmatic at all, and he was very enthusiastic, driving the project on personally. (Quoted from Prof.Jeff Jupp at timesonline)

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6798198.ecehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6798198.ece

 

The company have many consultants, engineers and technicians who work in the Jetpod project. It is definitely not a one man company. Also, there will be a big success for Malaysia's aviation industry if it managed to take-off and land safely. Unfortunately there are too many uncertainty during the whole process which I can't comment on it.

 

We should give the highest respect to Michael Robert Dacre (Founder and Creator of Jetpod)who sacrificed his life for Science.

 

Rest In Peace, Mike.

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Just wonder:

 

1. Is it the only Jetpod in existence?

2. Is it he Jetpod's first ever flight?

3. Did the Jetpod done any ground tests?

 

Hopefully further progress will be made regarding the project.

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A Malaysian ICT company funded the programme ? :huh:

Picked from Bernama:

 

:rofl: What a funny joke...

I really impressed by some of the media.

 

Avcen Limited Malaysia is based at Patimas Technology Centre, TPM. However, it is a British-based company.

 

Just wonder:

 

1. Is it the only Jetpod in existence?

2. Is it he Jetpod's first ever flight?

3. Did the Jetpod done any ground tests?

 

Hopefully further progress will be made regarding the project.

 

There is only one Jetpod so far and this is the 1st Experimental flight and Maiden flight as well. Of course they done the ground tests prior to the 1st flight.

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